


In the time we spend apart

by GhostBlackBlood



Category: Hermitcraft RPF
Genre: Angst, Gaslighting, Grian angst, Grian needs a hug, Hermit Taurtis, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Other, Platonic relationship implied, Samgladiator mentioned, Scar only has like. Two lines, Set in season 6 and the update that brought us Sahara street, So does Taurtis, Taurtis and Grian Centric, Taurtis angst, Watcher Grian, Watchers, YHS events implied but not mentioned directly, all hermits are there, brief watcher OC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:34:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26318020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostBlackBlood/pseuds/GhostBlackBlood
Summary: It was time for the big update, the one that would bring the hermits to version 1.14.4. They would be helped by a watcher, according to their admin. Taurtis couldn’t care less, he’d been through the process so many times before in evo that it became a routine. And he was sure this time wouldn’t be different in the slightest. But he wasn’t prepared for who their watcher helper would be. What had happened while they had been apart?
Relationships: Charles | Grian & Taurtis
Comments: 10
Kudos: 154





	In the time we spend apart

**Author's Note:**

> This is my fanfic ever, and it's about block men lol. It's based on the Hermit Taurtis au made by the blog on tumblr called give-grian-rights. I just couldn't get this idea from my head so I had to make a one-shot and comic about it. I have a comic about this as well linked below. Enjoy!
> 
> give-grian-rights: https://give-grian-rights.tumblr.com/
> 
> My tumblr/comic: https://ghostblackblood22.tumblr.com
> 
> not sure if the links will work, so sorry if they don't

It was the day of the big update. All of the hermits had gathered at the world border, trailing in after traveling through the Nether. Even with the help of the Nether, it had been a long journey. But it was what they had been told to do. They would be helped by a watcher, an apparent godly being that had a degree of control over servers, at least that’s what was explained by their admin, Xisuma. It was a massive update that if not done right, could ruin the builds and projects they had already spent so much time creating, so it was too much for their admin to do alone. The Hermits were all excited to explore what the update would bring. The possibilities given from the new blocks and the new version were endless to them, they were looking forward to reaping for the rewards. 

Taurtis was among one of the last to arrive. He had been talking with Scar about Convex and ways to expand and gain more diamonds the whole trip there, making them both lag behind considerably. They were happily greeted by the rest of the hermits and took their place at the back of the group. Taurtis had enough experience with the watchers that he didn’t care much for what they had to say, he’d been through the process enough times before with the evo gang and knew all they had to say about moving from update to update.

He toned out the noise around him, thinking about his old home, the Evolution server. He hoped they were all doing well. They had all been on his mind quite often, along with a certain link cosplayer that he was exceptionally close with. He did miss his friend dearly and all they would get up to together. But he did like the new friends he had made, and all he could hope for was that he made his way back to him. Grian always had. If anyone could find a way, it was Grian. He was sure of it.

“Hello Hermits, I am the watcher Xelqua, and I shall help you through the update. Please, follow my instructions so that this will be a quick and easy process.” A monotone voice startled Taurtis out of his thoughts and he was suddenly hyperaware. That voice… it couldn’t be... But it was so familiar to him. But surely he wouldn’t side with the watchers? Definitely not of his own free will. But he had to check. The hope of seeing his friend again was too much to stifle. He had to see with his own eyes, just to kill the fluttering of hope in his chest. 

He pushed his way through the group, trying to get a better view of the watcher in front of them. Said watcher was clad in the identifying purple robes that were far too big for his small body, pooling around his feet in thick layers. He had sizable golden wings. They were among the first telltale signs that the lithe watcher before them was not normal, well, normal for what Taurtis was used to with the watchers. 

Most watchers that he had seen had large purple wings and often more than just one pair. Xelqua was much smaller than a normal watcher in most ways of the word. He was used to the tall beings of 7 or more feet with wing spans that rivaled 20 feet, skin that looked to be made from the void or the night sky itself. Imposing ethereal beings. This one was a far cry different. His skin was a human shade and he was much shorter, closer to 5 feet with much smaller wings, and was shorter than Taurtis himself. Closer to… “Grian? Is that really you?” Taurtis spoke up once he pushed his way to the front of the group, interrupting the abnormal watcher from his explanation. 

The watcher in question just stared past him, not reacting, ignoring him completely as he continued on with his dull explanation, as if he hadn’t ever been interrupted. Most hermits gave Taurtis a curious look or a confused side-eye as Taurtis rushed ahead of them and embraced his friend in a tight hug. The excitement from seeing his best friend after so long completely clouded his senses, delaying his mind from processing the full extent of the situation. It had been almost a year. He hadn’t seen him in so long and he had missed him dearly, It made him want to cry to have him close to him again. But his excitement soon left him as he felt his friend stay stiff in his arms and continue his speech. He frowned and pulled back, really taking in the appearance of his friend. 

It was certainly him, as far as he could tell. And he knew Grian better than he knew himself. Strawberry blond hair with his signature fringe. Slightly tanned skin from working on his builds in the hot midday sun. And he would bet all his diamonds that underneath the white watcher mask was his friend's memorising sky blue eyes. But even he could tell that something was up. It was like he was just seeing a robot of his friend, but it wasn’t NPG before him. That he was sure of. 

“Grian… what’s wrong… what happened to you? What did they do to you?” he asked softly, voice laced with concern. This was his closest friend, his best friend. They had known each other for years, they had gone through hell together. They knew each other better than anyone. But as he stood there, with his friend like a statue in his arms, reciting the usual watcher dribble as if he weren’t even there. He just felt like he was staring at a stranger. Grian didn’t reply to Taurtis. He wouldn’t even acknowledge him. Tuartis couldn’t understand why. 

He had never trusted the watchers before, always weary of their unasked for help. They were never outright malicious, but they never felt like the benevolent beings they paraded around as. They always had ulterior motives to help servers, be it for entertainment or other. And as he took in how his friend looked and acted, he outright loathed their existence. They had obviously done something awful to Grian. He had to find a way to help. He couldn’t leave his friend to suffer.

He jumped a little when a hand landed on his shoulder, shocking him out of his thoughts. “Taurtis, is everything alright? Do you know him?” Scar asked carefully, and Taurtis finally remembered they weren’t alone. “No… Yes… I-'' He started before being cut off by a powerful gust of wind that threw him and Scar back into the group of people around them. He was helped up by Impulse and Doc and looked back to where Grian was standing, only he wasn’t alone anymore, and he had finally stopped speaking. 

Behind him was one of the watchers he was used to seeing. A being of the true End towering above the short man. Their hair wrapped around to look like two horns and their mask looked like an upside-down version of Grian’s own. They were wearing a robe similar to the one Grian had but looked more like a god than Grian ever did. They had three sets of wings, two were folded behind them and the third pair was wrapped around Grian in an almost protective embrace if it weren’t for the way their long bony fingers gripped Grian’s shoulders tight enough to make Grian visibly flinch. Even in his emotionless state, Grian looked scared. It broke Taurtis’ heart. He recognised them from evo, Grian and he had nicknamed them Horns.

Taurtis saw red, glaring at the watcher. “What the hell are you doing here!? What did you do to him!? What did you do to Grian!?” He growled, demanding answers from one of the beings he knew were responsible for his friend's state. Part of his mind registered that he was being held back, and judging by the metallic chill that gripped his arm firmly, he guessed it was Doc. 

Horns grinned, one of those infuriating smug grins that made Taurtis’ blood boil. “Please, Taurtis, don’t distract our apprentice. Xelqua is new and this is his first proper assignment. You are keeping him from completing it. Do stop causing a scene.” They said calmly, and Taurtis could feel the weight of a dozen eyes on him from behind the mask that the watcher wore. He did not yield, staring back with as much force.

“No! I will not! I want to know what you did to him! His name is Grian! It’s Grian! Always has been and always will! You monsters!” He spat, glaring at them with all the fury he felt for the state of his loved one in front of him. He was sick of Grian always being treated like a doll. The watchers grin never left their face, if only turning even more infuriating. Taurtis could barely keep the angry tears at bay. It was overwhelming. “Very well, Taurtis, you want to know what we did? We fixed him.” They mused cruelly, their grip only tightening on the boy in their hands, making Taurtis flinch and tug at the hold on him. He could see their claws dig into Grian’s shoulders. He was worried they might draw blood.

The watcher continued, ignoring the newest hermit's gaze. “Don’t you like what we’ve done? After all, we’re just cleaning up the mess you made. After you left, he never stopped looking for you. You abandoned him, again. You broke him.” They mused and continued before Taurtis could interrupt. “He was a mess. He barely ate or slept and they blamed him for your disappearance. After all, he was their admin, he was supposed to keep them safe… Keep you safe… It tore him up from the inside that he failed at doing that once more.” They purred and Taurtis could only glare but their words struck home. “Because you made me! The watchers are the reason I’m even here! You’re the reason he suffered!” He spat at them defensively. How dare they blame him for their interference. He had his suspicions that if what they were saying was true, it was only because of something they had done.

Horns continued, a smile still on their face. “Now now. Don’t blame us for your issues. We aren’t the reason for all of your misfortune. The reason Xelqua is with us is because of you. Because of your decisions.” They said plainly, making Taurtis stop. It wasn’t his fault… was it? Maybe if he… No. It wasn’t his fault. The watcher was just manipulating him. “Grian.” He corrected them firmly with a hiss under his breath.

“He came to us for answers about your disappearance. He was desperate. A shell of what he once was and, so, so alone. Like he always is. All because of you, Taurtis. So we fixed him, renamed him, repaired him, and made him even better than what he once was. He’s always been a puppet, a plaything to dress up and act the given role. You know as well as he did that this is his purpose. It’s how he has always been treated and portrayed. We locked away the trauma from his memories, which included all that you’ve done to him, deep into his mind. We gave him a reason to exist past his pitiful deteriorating condition. We saved him.” Horns explained sweetly in a proud manner, their wings flaring out to their full length. Their hands moving to frame Grian’s face, delicately holding his chin up. As if posing a mannequin. 

Taurtis stared in horror as they talked, his voice having left him ages ago. Was he really the reason that his friend was like this. Did he really break him? He barely noticed the tears that ran down his face as he stared at Grian… or was he really Xelqua now? Maybe he was better off without him. Because of him, Sam had hurt him, he was the one who had convinced him to stay in Japan with him, to stay with Sam in their crappy apartment. He was the reason for all of Grian’s misfortune, intentional or not. Grian had suffered so much because of him. 

Taurtis stared blankly ahead. “That’s not… I didn’t…” He said weakly, as he began to cry softly. Horns smiled. “Of course not. No one ever does. However, it doesn’t make you any less guilty.” They mused and in a flash of bright light the border was gone and they had been transported well into the new update. Grian and the watcher were nowhere in sight, long gone by the time he got his barings back. 

He was the reason for all of Grian’s suffering. He ignored the other hermits rushing around him and the arms that reached for him as he just crumpled to the ground and he dissolved into gut-wrenching sobs, all he could think of was the tears that ran down Grian’s face behind his mask. The tears that he undoubtedly caused.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed! Comment and kudos are appreciated! I would love to hear what you think about this story and any feedback you may have!


End file.
